FIELD NOTES / AGO / Middle Africa
Angola
Royal spaces & changing construction.
START WITH A PLACE
Mbanza Kongo, Vestiges of the Capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo
Mbanza Kongo was the political and spiritual capital of the Kingdom of Kongo. Its historic centre brings royal and sacred places together with changes in building practice following Portuguese contact.
Read the source UNESCO World Heritage CentreA CLOSER LOOK
A study in mass and surface.
Trace the spatial relationship between residence, court and sacred place. Compare construction changes without assuming that one material replaced an entire local tradition.
An editorial observation prompt, grounded in the reference above.
WORKING COLOUR
A palette to begin with.
Five editorial tones for this surface family. Use them as a starting point for a study; they are not measured samples from the site.
Limestone paper#eee7d8oklch(0.929 0.021 85.945)
Warm sediment#c6ad86oklch(0.760 0.060 78.678)
Earth ochre#a36545oklch(0.568 0.092 47.550)
Weathered slate#657d79oklch(0.569 0.029 184.084)
Carbon ink#282b2boklch(0.286 0.004 196.917)